


mine

by allmywill



Series: be mine for always [2]
Category: David Bowie (Musician), Duran Duran
Genre: Crying, Drunken Flirting, First Dance, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, Making Love, Prequel, Romantic Fluff, Wedding Night
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-13
Updated: 2020-01-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:07:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22188349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allmywill/pseuds/allmywill
Summary: Nick doesn’t believe he’s ever seen Simon cry so much.
Relationships: John Taylor/Roger Taylor (Duran Duran), Simon Le Bon/Nick Rhodes
Series: be mine for always [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1597213
Comments: 9
Kudos: 12





	mine

**Author's Note:**

> the first installment of the prequel to my Christmas fic _be mine for always_! i’m so excited to share this with you, and i hope you’re just as excited to read it!!

_January 1993_

The night begins with tears. They’re the happiest tears either of them have cried in their lives; surrounded by people they love, coming to witness them making the ultimate gesture of their own.

Nick doesn’t believe he’s ever seen Simon cry so much. He’s crying, too. He can’t help it, everything is beautiful and he’s never been more happy. The past eight years of his life, _their lives_ , have been the best he could ask for. And this cold starry night, he’s reminded that everything lead here. Every word, every touch, every feeling: it all lead them to this precious moment. Together.

Though much has changed from the beginning, during Arcadia, to now, just before their second self-titled album is about to drop, they still feel the same about each other. If anything, there’s even more love present, if that’s possible. There’s been a lot of good feelings regarding their long awaited comeback. People love the music, it’s getting airplay, and it feels good to be back on top again. It feels like ten years prior, that same crazy inspiration running through their veins again.

It wasn’t an ‘on the whim’ kind of decision; their marriage, this grand wedding. Simon admits to buying a ring back when they were recording _Liberty_. He had been waiting for the right time, carrying it around with him wherever they went. His perfect time never came, but it would have if it wasn’t for Nick beating him to it. He surprised him with a ring in the summer, skipping the getting down on one knee part. They were both in tears as Simon dug in the pocket of his jeans for the little box residing there.

They both knew it was time. They had spent well over a decade together in the band, and as a couple for the better part of that decade. Nick wants to come home to his _husband_ , wants to say the word in conversation. He doesn’t care who knows. It solidifies something, suggests the deep love that they share.

Simon feels very much the same. He wants to see that ring on Nick’s finger, to see it shine and catch the light when he’s pressing on keys in the studio. Now he gets to, and he couldn’t be more overjoyed.

Planning this special night proved to be a task, yet it turned out to be completely worth it. They each chose a color and built the theme around it—black and pink. Simon just _knew_ Nick would choose pink; a little conversation they had years prior stuck in his brain. He chose black to compliment the light baby shade, to bring it out more.

It worked out perfectly, their tuxes contrasting as they dance. The room has dimmed to set the mood, most of the illumination coming from the flashes of cameras. They hold onto each other and try not to make complete fools of themselves as David Bowie’s _Heroes_ blasts through the speakers.

Nick laughs softly, looking into Simon’s eyes. “Never thought I’d dance again on camera after _New Moon on Monday_.”

Simon, fighting back more tears, chuckles. “But here you are, dancing.”

“I regret nothing.” Nick clutches onto his shoulders tighter, keeping him close. “You make it worth it.”

Simon can’t look away from his made-up eyes. They sparkle in the light, so entrancing.

_We can be heroes, just for one day_

“You’re worth everything,” Simon tells him, leaning in so he can hear. “You’re everything.”

The dance is less about the movement and more about the feelings they have, the emotions they’re both cradling tonight. The song surrounds them, enveloping them, and it’s so familiar. Yet they’ve heard it more times than they can count, right now, it feels like the first time. They will forever associate it with this moment.

_Yes we're lovers, and that is that_

Nick rests his head on Simon’s shoulder, letting him take the lead. He was never much of a dancer. He sways them both to the tune, Bowie’s voice echoing around them. 

_We can be heroes, for ever and ever_

Simon’s hands bring Nick closer so he’s flush against his own body. They’re hardly dancing anymore, just embracing as the song wills them to tears.

_Oh we can be heroes, just for one day_

They’ve been through a lot together over the years. The band hit a lull, their fame starting to dwindle as the new decade approached. Once it came along, things continued to grow bleak. But they powered through it. Together. Now the attention is returning, more and more each day.

Their love, hope, and determination is sending Duran Duran straight to the top again, to the charts and beyond. Nick couldn’t be more proud of their work; it’s the best they’ve produced in years.

“This is our new beginning,” Nick moves to say, not breaking their embrace. “You know?”

Simon tries to stifle the tears in his eyes, but it’s no use. One rolls down his cheek. “Yeah, it is.”

Nick notices right away. “You’re gonna make me cry again,” he laughs, his own waterworks on the rise.

“I’ll just cry more.”

“We’ll run out of tears by the end of the night.”

Nick rests his head on his shoulder again, angling it towards Simon’s neck. “At least they’re happy tears.”

_We can be heroes_

Their dance draws to a close, but they know they will remember it forever. The pictures and the videos will preserve it, yet the precious memories will stay so vivid that they won’t need to rely on them.

_Just for one day_

The song ends and the room erupts in applause, hundreds of hands clapping for them. A tear slips down Nick’s cheek as the disc jockey starts playing the songs from the playlist they made. Simon continues to hold him as their guests start to join them on the floor, ready to celebrate with them.

They both reckon they could have stayed locked inside that moment, its sheer beauty enough to satisfy them forever. Simon waits till Nick is ready to let go, and when he does, he presses a kiss to his lips. Though chaste, he smiles into it before they separate, their ring-adorned hands intertwining.

Nick feels his shoulder bump someone else’s, and when he looks over, there’s Warren.

“You don’t mind if I steal your husband for a little dance, do you Charlie?” Warren yells over the music, looking at Simon.

He smiles at his bandmate, letting go of Nick’s hand. “As long as you bring him back. He’s mine, remember.”

Warren winks at him, sending a charming smile his way. “You got it, lucky man you are.” He looks to Nick. “Both of you.”

Simon beams, his teary eyes have since cleared up. “I know, I know. I’m going to find John, god knows he’ll be on a bender soon enough.”

Nick lets Warren grab his hands, the two of them on the floor together in the crowd. They’re laughing, filled with happiness as the music flows.

Warren twirls him with a calloused hand, their laughter continuing. “I know you’re not much of a dancer, but I figured I’d try to help.”

“Some help you are,” Nick retorts wittily, rolling his eyes.

“So, _Nick Le Bon-Rhodes_ , huh?” Warren’s fingers run over the ring on his finger. “Sounds nice, very you.”

Nick’s face flushes. He’s so emotional tonight, and for good reason. “Yeah, I really like it. Him, too.”

Warren chuckles, the sound almost lost to the heavy beat of the music. “I’d hope so. You’re good for each other, I could tell the moment I met you.”

“It was meant to be,” Nick says, really believing it.

It takes Simon a few minutes to find John, and luckily, Roger is right by his side when he arrives. He’s relieved until he notices the drink in John’s hand. It’s probably the first of many more to come.

“Simon!” John exclaims, setting his drink down on the table behind him. He opens his arms for him to walk into.

Simon returns the embrace, squeezing his bandmate. “Glad you could make it, Johnny.”

“I wouldn’t miss this for anything. I’m so happy for you two.”

They pull away and Roger’s got this sad look in his eyes that Simon can’t seem to ignore. 

“Everything okay?” Simon finds himself asking, glancing at Roger who smiles at him sadly.

John looks a little strung out, a little disheveled in his designer suit, purchased for the occasion. His eyes dart back and forth between them, a nervous, uneasy expression on his face. “Yeah, everything’s fine.”

Simon doesn’t know if he should believe him or not.

“Congratulations,” Roger pipes up, breaking the awkward silence between the three of them. He gets up from his seat and takes Simon into his arms. “I bet you’re happy.”

“Very,” he replies, returning the hug. He squeezes him tight, as if to say _I’m here if you need me_. He hopes he understands through the gesture alone. “Sure you don’t want to come back for the tour?”

Roger pulls away, but keeps Simon at a arm’s reach. “I don’t know about that. But maybe sometime soon?”

Simon nods. He doesn’t want to push him any further; he’ll come back when he’s ready. He knows he will. “Alright, well there’s still time, if you change your mind.”

Roger smiles. “Thanks, Charlie.”

Beside them, John downs the rest of his drink. Simon and Roger both turn to him. It’s hard not to look concerned, given the state he’s in.

Simon sits down next to him. He stays quiet for a moment, watching the crowd of people before him. “Go easy on the drink tonight, Johnny.”

John just laughs and waves a dismissive hand. “I’ll be fine. Rog’s here to keep an eye on me, make sure I don’t do anything _too_ stupid.”

“Okay, I trust him. Just...” he trails off, trying to think of the right words to say. “You didn’t bring anything here, right?”

John looks confused for a moment, then realizes what he means. “Oh, uh, no. I wanted to be... at least somewhat sober for this. For you and Nick.” He smiles sadly. “Where is he, by the way?”

“Hey, don’t worry about it. Just looking out for you.” Simon pats his shoulder. “Nick’s with Warren, I should go get him.”

As soon as he gets up, ready to go track down his bandmate and husband, the two of them come into view. They make their way towards them, Nick smiling when he sees John.

“There he is,” John exclaims, opening his arms for Nick to walk into. “How does it feel to be a Le Bon?”

Nick squeezes his longtime friend tight. “Great, never been happier.”

John rubs his back, the pink suit soft beneath his fingers. “I’m happy for you. You really deserve it.” Though John doesn’t want to let him go, he does for Roger.

Nick turns to him and embraces their ex-drummer, smiling wide. “Thank you, Rog,” he says. “Means a lot to have you here.”

“Anything for you two. You’ve come a long way.”

“It’s been worth it.” Nick is beaming still. He reckons he’ll be the entire night. When they pull away, he looks over to Simon, he and John in conversation. “We’re happy. _So_ happy.”

Roger flashes that classic smile of his. “I can tell. You’re perfect for each other,” he tells him. He just happens to glance behind Nick and his mouth nearly drops to the floor. “Holy shit!”

Nick sees his expression change to one of surprise, and turns around to see what caused it. His eyes meet a familiar figure approaching them, unmistakable. “Oh my god,” he says, for it’s all he can muster right now.

The man comes further into view until he’s standing right there before him. “Congratulations, Nick,” a smooth voice says with a smile.

Though they have met before, Nick is still starstruck by his presence, the sheer surprise coursing through his veins much like adrenaline. “David, hi!”

To say they’re ecstatic would be an understatement. Neither of them expected him to show, since when they set out the invitations all those months ago, he had replied that he’d be busy and couldn’t make it, but was sending his best wishes.

Now here he is, talking and having a drink with them, celebrating their marriage. The night keeps getting better and better.

They all share laughs and kind words until it’s time for him to go. They let him know how much _Heroes_ means to them, how it will forever be engrained into their minds and tied to the best of memories. He’s flattered by this, it’s written all over his face.

Neither of them ever thought they’d be worthy of having David Bowie himself show up at their wedding, but crazier things have happened.

Their teenage selves are shaking within them with pure excitement.

Roger’s not quite drunk, but more than just tipsy at this point. John’s hanging on him, and has been for most of the night. He doesn’t mind it; he did say he’d stick by him, to make sure he didn’t get too carried away. He’ll keep his promise.

He owes it to him.

“Do you want to go?” Roger asks, John gripping to his bicep with a bit more force than needed.

John’s drunk, yet less than he’d be without Roger keeping an eye on him. “Not yet, no.”

“Alright, well... you need to sit down at least.” Roger lowers him to his seat at their table carefully.

John laughs; it doesn’t sound like his usual laugh. “You’re not in much better shape than me, Roger.” He’s still clinging to him, refusing to let him go. He acts on a drunken impulse and pulls him down, into his lap.

Roger lets out a little squeak, surprised. “Jesus, Johnny.” A smile spreads across his face. This isn’t weird, but he can’t tell if it’s because of the alcohol in his system, or if it’s something else entirely. “We can stay a little longer.”

He moves to get off him, but John pulls him back again. “Don’t go, stay.”

“On your lap like this?” Roger laughs, trying to hide the nervousness that has come over him suddenly.

John nods, wrapping his arms around his midsection. “Please?” he pouts.

Roger can’t tell him no. He doesn’t want to, anyway. “Yeah, okay.”

The people around them don’t seem the notice, and if they do, they don’t care. They’re all probably just as drunk, if not more, than they are.

Roger would die to know what John’s thinking. His own thoughts aren’t very coherent, but he knows one thing. He’s sure of it. There’s a little bit of truth in John’s touch, always some hidden honesty in drunken words and actions. That thought echoes in his mind and won’t go away.

John rests his chin on his shoulder, the two of them even closer now. Roger’s breath hitches and then he smiles. That truth is one he finds he wants to chase, one he wants to know more desperately than he thought.

It’s cliché, even for them, but here they are. They’re too caught up in each other to care, anyway. 

Nick is sprawled across a heart-shaped bed, red satin sheets underneath his bare body. Rose petals are scattered on the bed around him, on the floor and trailing from the door. White candles flicker and melt wax, dripping in the fading darkness. The room is warm and cozy and it’s perfect for their intimate moment.

Dawn is approaching; the sun getting ready to rise and color the sky in beautiful hues of orange and pink. Though morning is upon them, their night hasn’t ended. They’ve been awake the entire time, and neither of them are tired enough to think about sleep yet. The pure happiness they feel has kept them going, urging them towards each other and away from the shut eye they can catch up on later. Experiencing this moment is more important than sleep will ever be.

Simon climbs on top of him and leaves kisses all down his body, caressing him with his lips. In turn, he lets out little sighs. He’s content, yet more aroused than anything. Nick runs a freshly manicured hand down from his shoulder to his wrist, then Simon captures his lips with his own. Their fingers slot together as they kiss, rings bumping together, a reminder of why they’re here.

Nick flips them, so he’s on top of Simon now. He straddles him, still holding his hand as he breaks their lip lock. He sucks on a spot on Simon’s neck, his scent surrounding him, intoxicating him further. He’ll never forget this; every movement much too valuable. They will be engrained in his memory until his last breath.

They roll around like this for a while, leaving marks with their mouths on each other, bodies tangled in red satin that starts to stick against their damp skin. They take it slower than usual, wanting to make it last as long as possible. The love they show one another is unlike ever before. It’s amplified, taken to a whole new level they never knew existed before tonight.

When Simon sinks into him, Nick can’t help but start to cry again. A hot tear rolls down his cheek as he thrusts. He has never felt such intense emotions before. They have rattled him to his core, shaken him up in such a fantastic, sweet way. He’s seeing everything in a new light. His world has become clearer.

Simon’s own waterworks start again, inspired by Nick’s. By the time they finish, they’re wiping each other’s tears away with gentle hands. Every touch is delicate and laced with adoration, careful and loving.

They do it all again as the sun climbs the sky, switching their places and coming undone for the second time. Their skin is bathed in warm morning light as they fall asleep together, brightness and shadows playing upon their intertwined hands. The same light catches their engraved golden bands and they glint proudly. Just one word adorns the inside of the gold on both of their rings.

“Mine,” Nick mumbles, his last words before he’s pulled under by sleep.

Simon smiles, drowsy. “Mine,” he copies, squeezing his husband’s hand.


End file.
